I hope that you have a healthy and joyous time with family, friends and neighbors.  Please remember to stay safe and keep warm.  I was able to attend many of our local events and see all of the holiday spirit.

My wife Becki, boys and I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

We look forward to seeing you in 2018!

Illinois has nearly 7,000 local governmental entities --  more than any other state. Lake County has more than 200 local government units and the County Board is taking steps to consolidate or dissolve those districts (that it has control over) in order to enhance efficiency, accountability, and cost-savings. Chairman Aaron Lawlor explains in this video, and learn more by reading the Consolidation Action Plan.

We’re entering the final phase of construction and the installation of exhibitions at the new Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County, set to open to the public on March 24, 2018. The new Collections Care and Storage Facility in the lower level of the Dunn Museum is complete. It offers stable environmental conditions suitable for protecting the Museum’s irreplaceable historic collections. To date we have moved the entire Lake County History Archives and a significant portion of the object collections. Work will continue over the coming months to complete the move. 

The Lake County History Archives includes a new public research center, which is almost complete. Installation of a commissioned life-sized Dryptosaurus dinosaur is also nearly complete. With guidance from Native American tribe members on authenticity, the build-out of the wigwam is moving along. The wigwam will serve as an in-gallery teaching space for programs and an interactive space for visitors. Learn more

I recently joined fellow members of the Lake County Board to thank more than 300 people who serve on various County Board appointed boards, commissions, and other special purpose units of government. This ranges from drainage and fire districts to the transportation service boards, human services boards and the Board of Review. These dedicated volunteers make decisions and deliver services that our families and businesses depend on every day. Watch this video to see more from this event.

There are opportunities for residents to serve their communities in an appointed leadership role. Those interested are encouraged to view the County Board's website. 

Lake County PASSAGE: View camera images from major intersections
Did you know that you can look in on the road conditions from your computer or mobile device before you hit the roads? You have access to the PASSAGE cameras which means you can look at real-time snapshots from major intersections, like this image taken last winter. Go to LakeCountyPASSAGE.com, turn on camera images in “Layer Options” at the top right, find intersections along your route, and check road conditions in each direction.

Other Resources:
LCDOT Snow Season Story Map: This interactive mapping tool explains everything you need to know about our snow and ice removal operations.

Don’t Crowd the Plow: Watch this to learn valuable safety tips. Give plow drivers space to do their jobs, and we can all get to our destinations safely. 

Ask A Snow Plow Driver: You asked your questions, and our plow drivers answered! Hear directly from them about what they see on the roads, and the challenges they face when clearing the roads for you. If you have additional questions, you can submit them here: Ask A Snow Plow Driver.

Build an Emergency Kit for Your Vehicle
You may have an emergency supplies kit for your home, but what about your vehicle? Make sure to keep a shovel, blankets, booster cables, and these other items in your car this winter. 

Engineering Internship and Job Fair
Don’t miss a unique chance to interview with Lake County’s top employers in engineering, med-tech, automation, biopharma, precision manufacturing and more at the Lake County Engineering Internship and Job Fair. The fair will run from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 5 at the College of Lake County. Learn more

December is a busy time of year and can often bring about stress and other challenging emotions or situations, especially for those impacted by addiction and those who have lost someone to a substance-related passing. Be aware of these programs that can help your loved ones in a time of need.

Crisis Call Center
Speak anonymously to a counselor 24 hours a day and get help by contacting the crisis call center at 847-377-8088. Information and referrals to Lake County Health Department programs are available.

Text-A-Tip
Text-A-Tip is a 24/7 anonymous text-communication system for youth needing immediate mental health assistance for themselves or a friend. Download the Lake County Help app, available at the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Within the app, select the 24-7 Text-A-Tip hotline where you will send a message to a dedicated number and receive an immediate response from a licensed clinician while remaining anonymous.  

“A Way Out”
Individuals who struggle with substance use disorders can get directed quickly to treatment through a program called “A Way Out." The program is offered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at participating police departments in Lake County. In the event that an individual seeking help may possess narcotics or paraphernalia when entering a participating police department, they will not be charged and any drugs on their person will be destroyed.

The 19th Judicial Circuit recently honored the Guardians Ad Litem, from both the private bar and from the Lake County Public Defender’s Office, for safeguarding children through the adoption process. The Guardians Ad Litem serve as the eyes and ears of the court and make the recommendation as to whether adoption is in the best interest of the child. Throughout the month of November, courts and communities all over the country participated in finalizing thousands of adoptions of children from foster care as part of Adoption Awareness Month. Watch this video to learn more.

Forest Preserve News

Middlefork Bridge and Trail Connection Now Open
The Middlefork Bridge and Trail Connection is now open. The new bridge connects 4.5 miles of trails at Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve in Lake Forest to the Lake Forest Academy and Townline Community Park and provides trail users a safe passage over the Metra Railway. Other new elements include a scenic overlook and crosswalk improvements at the intersection of IL Route 60 and Academy Drive. This project is part of a larger effort by several organizations to connect Middlefork Savanna and the Middlefork Trail and Greenway to the Des Plaines River Trail at MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve in Mettawa. We are pleased to have worked with the following partners and donors to make this project possible: City of Lake Forest, Lake Forest Academy, Lake Forest Bank & Trust, Lake Forest Open Lands Association, and Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein. View Map.

2018 Summer Camps
Registration for our 2018 camp season is now open. Early bird discounts are available through February 15, 2018. Programs fill quickly so enroll early. Register online or call 847-968-3321. 

2018 Annual Permits
Annual permits for dog parks, horse trails and more are now on sale. Find information and purchase permits online or call 847–367–6640. 

Join the Preservation Foundation
Carol and Ed’s home is surrounded on three sides by a beautiful forest preserve. Appreciation for their Forest Preserve neighbor and a life-long love of nature led Carol and Ed to support the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves in their will. If you are grateful for all the Lake County Forest Preserves provide, consider making a planned gift through your will or estate. 

There are many ways to leave a legacy, including gifts of cash, land, a vacation home, or life insurance. Whatever you choose, the impact of your gift will live on for years to come. Carol and Ed are extending the impact of their legacy gift by joining the Preservation Society. Why join them? Because we want to acknowledge your gift and celebrate your commitment to the Lake County Forest Preserves. Also, allowing us to recognize you in our publications lets others know that the Forest Preserve mission is worth your investment. For more information or to become an inaugural member of the Preservation Society, contact Ellen at 847-968-3448. 

Special Feature: Science in the Preserves
Finding eight common garter snakes under your first cover board of the day is a good start for John Vanek and wildlife technicians Katherine Waguespack and Elizabeth Mullen. “The technicians write down where we are,” said Vanek, a graduate research assistant completing his Ph.D. in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Illinois University. “They record surrounding habitat conditions, such as the height of the vegetation and the amount of shading. Those variables help us figure out why snakes and other species are in one place and not another.”

For his dissertation, Vanek is working with Forest Preserve wildlife biologists, Gary Glowacki and Andrew Rutter, to study how habitat restoration and other factors affect animals in the preserves. “We are at an exciting point where our data can tell us how wildlife responds to the way we restore and manage our land,” Glowacki said. “This will allow us to more effectively manage our natural areas and better conserve biodiversity.”

Vanek is also analyzing our wildlife monitoring program, drawing on the accumulated knowledge of our Natural Resources Department. “One of the most important facets of the wildlife monitoring program is diversifying our sampling methodologies,” said Rutter. “Different species call for different sampling techniques, which we employ in an attempt to confirm the presence, abundance, and diversity of wildlife on our lands.” By the end of his three-year tenure, Vanek will have sifted through a decade worth of data containing more than 180,000 records, identifying trends and ways to improve our restoration actions. Learn more